Subject description
The course covers the main components of modern control systems. It focuses on measurement systems, controllers, and actuators that are most commonly used in the automation of process and manufacturing industries, as well as in robotics and autonomous mobile systems.
The course will cover the following topics:
Basic principles of control theory.
Safety standards in the area of automation (Ingress Protection – IP, IK rating, equipment in explosion hazardous areas).
Standard signals in control systems and industrial communication protocols.
Measurement systems. Commonly used sensors (position, path, velocity, acceleration, force, torque, level, flow, temperature, pressure, proximity, distance, humidity, thermal conductivity, viscosity, density, analytical measurements, special measurements), machine-vision-based measurement systems, transducers.
Actuator systems: actuators (electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic motors, control and on/off valves, pumps), power converters (frequency converter, relay, electro-pneumatic valve, electro-hydraulic valve).
Process controllers and programmable logic controllers (PLC).
Emphasis is placed on the parameterization of the instrumentation and its implementation in the control systems.
The subject is taught in programs
Electrical engineering 1st level
Objectives and competences
Get to know fundamental instrumentation in control systems practice and their implementation from engineer's (user/maintainer/control system designer) point of view.
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures, seminar, laboratory exercises, excursions to industiral and semi-industrial plants.
Expected study results
After successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
– differentiate among basic control principles,
– explain the working principles of most often used sensors and actuators in control systems,
– state the important standards in the area of control systems,
– describe the most common automation instrumentation,
– understand the communication in control systems,
– choose an appropriate control system instrumentation for a specific task.
Basic sources and literature
-
A. Belič: Gradniki in tehnologije v sistemih vodenja, Založba FE in FRI, Ljubljana, 2012.
-
W. Bolton: Instrumentation and control systems, Third Edition, Elsevier, Oxford, UK, 2021.
-
R. Karba: Gradniki sistemov vodenja, Založba FE in FRI, Ljubljana, 1994.
-
C. W. de Silva: Sensors and actuators: control systems instrumentation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, 2007.
-
S. Strmčnik in soavtorji: Celostni pristop k računalniškem vodenju procesov, Založba FE in FRI, Ljubljana, 1998.
Stay up to date
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering Tržaška cesta 25, 1000 Ljubljana